The present invention relates to a photovoltaic inverter with an inverter housing having at least two chambers separated by a wall, the one chamber, which has a high Ingress Protection (IP) rating, comprising the electronic component parts and the other chamber comprising several plug connectors on the wall to the one chamber.
A photovoltaic inverter of the type mentioned herein above is well known. The inverter hereby possesses two chambers, which are disposed separately in the inverter housing, the one chamber, which has a higher IP rating, and which is more specifically rated IP65, accommodates the power electronic component parts such as the circuit board in particular. In the other chamber, which is separated from the one chamber by a wall, in particular the plug connectors to the alternating current (AC) and also to the direct current (DC) side connection with the mains or the photovoltaic (PV) plant are located on the wall.
As already explained, the circuit board is located in the chamber of higher rating; each plug connector is protected on the circuit board by a fuse. If such a fuse blows, not only must the housing of the inverter be opened as a whole, but the chamber of the inverter housing, which accommodates the power electronic parts and which is associated with the higher IP rating and is more specifically rated IP65, must also be made accessible. This is not only time intensive and expensive as a result thereof, it also involves the risk that humidity and dirt may penetrate in this part of the housing, which affects the operability of the inverter in the long run. This is particularly true if the inverters are located outdoors so that, when the higher rated chamber is being opened, there is the risk that this chamber is directly exposed to environmental influences.